Relays Break Records as Men’s 4x400m Rockets Up NCAA Performance List

Cambridge, MA --- Both men's track & field relays set a new school record as four individuals, including three women, achieved a season or personal best Thursday at the MIT Final Qualifier.

Sophomore Alex Rus (Newton, MA), who is on the bubble in the 400-meter dash, senior Paul-Henry Schoenhagen (Cleveland Heights, OH), sophomore Nick Fleury (Hopkinton, NH) and senior Warren Staver (Centreville, MD) bettered the 4x400m record by nearly a second with a 3:13.69 to currently rank sixth in Division III. Earlier in the evening, Fleury, junior Antoine Harris (Southington, CT), Rus and sophomore William Kopellas (Needham, MA) improved the 4x100m record by .21 seconds with a 41.61 which is currently tied for 17th.

The 110-meter hurdles saw sophomore Fabian Gaziano (Wilbraham, MA) clock a career-best 14.99 in the final. Seniors Brandon Hoghaug (Douglas, MA) and Aaron Weeks (Pittsfield, MA) also looked to compete one more time in the high jump and javelin, respectively.

The women featured senior Lea Strangio (Watertown, MA) with a season-best 2:12.61 in the 800-meter run, which is currently 21st on the national list. On their second attempts of the day, senior Kirsten Herchenroder (Plaistow, NH) sent the discus a personal-best 130-4 and sophomore Faye Gauthier (West Warwick, RI) posted a season-best hammer throw of 156-3.

In addition to Strangio and the men's 4x400m, sophomore Sydney Packard (Georgetown, MA) is third in the 800-meter run and ninth in the 1,500-meter run pending the results from six meets across the country.

The 2018 NCAA Division III Track & Field Championship selections are slated to be announced Saturday at 9am.